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Friday, 8 April 2016

Why Google Would Care About Making a Keyboard for the iPhone

Google Developing Software Keyboard on iPhone/iOS Devices

According to reports of Casey Newton, Google has been developing a software keyboard on the iPhone and other iOS devices but it is not known if the same has been released to consumers. Google has not made any comment on why the company is keen in making a keyboard for its arch-rivals.

Google tends to make several apps for the iPhone right from maps to its various Google Drive applications which feeds directly into well-known service that millions of users have already been using. As per Newton, the keyboard is said to serve an identical purpose by incorporating Google’s search engine directly in the keyboard which would be convenient for the many people who desire to use Google for searches.

Moreover it would also provide the company with another point of contact with the consumers. Google has been leading in the search game though it is changing considerably since people have begun utilising their phones to search instead of their computers. Google has been feeling the effect of it in some ways, for instance, mobile ads do not tend to cost much as desktops ads and delivers lower returns for Google.

Use of Apps – Increased Tremendously

Though the firm is not in trouble, with most of the $21.3 billion pulled in by way of revenue than its parent company Alphabet, reported last month, this shift seems to be a point of concern for Google. The other problem is that the use of app has increased tremendously, thereby decreasing the overall mobile searches.

As reported by Newton, people tend to turn to more apps, and seems to use search engines less. It is quite normal for some users to search for `Twitter’ or `Facebook’ instead of navigating directly to the site on a desktop. However if someone is on the phone, there is a possibility that they will only tap on the dedicated app instead of going through the mobile Web version of those sites.

The same is applicable for review sites like Yelp or travel sites like Expedia. Constructing search straight in the keyboard could help Google increase mobile searches by making a search greatly convenient. Newton’s report that Google has also been looking into incorporating other features like GIF as well as image searches would add more value to the program.

Search Button on Mobile Keyboard – Helpful

Apple began permitting third party keyboards on the iPhone from iOS 8 opening its user base to various other smaller companies that tend to make keyboards with features which Apple does not seem to offer in its stock of keyboard.

With the addition of new keyboard, users would have to do a bit in exploring their settings though several companies like Swype have informed a significant increase in users since the change in policies of Apple. Keyboard with built-in search feature would support Google in making money, since it is said that people do not use Google searches on their mobile as much as they tend to do on their desktop.

Without the search pages which tend to sell ads, Google would be losing money and as the mobile internet seems to get bigger and bigger, it could get worse. Sticking a search button on a mobile keyboard would be of great help.